Beyond Sense and Logic
by freelancer 1-1
Summary: Sometimes, Fate throws the most unexpected things and events in your life. However, for Simba's Pride, that statement would forever take on a whole new meaning... Note: Story is Post TLKII
1. An Unexpected Life

_**Beyond Sense and Logic: A TLK Tale**_

_Disclaimer: Yeah… I don't own any characters here_

___A/N: It'd be worthy to note that the "I" personality depicted here is somewhat ambiguous and does not represent who I really am. Rather, it's my mind's desperate attempts to formulate a "stock" character who can be easily manipulated to the story's changing environment._  


...And as always, _Italics_ represent important thoughts, scenes or words. It all depends on the context.

* * *

**Chapter 1: An Unexpected Life**

Death was truly one of the biggest mysteries of existence…

…and certainly, I was one of those unfortunate enough to experience it prematurely. To give some background, I was the victim of a hit-and-run incident right outside my workplace. You see, I intended to have a quick walk to temporarily escape the turmoil of daily life and to have some private-time with my own thoughts. In all honesty, I should have really chosen another place for a stroll, because the street I was on was notorious for accidents. I was barely able to turn when an SUV somehow drove onto the sidewalk and plowed into my body.

A momentary bolt of pain shot through my being as I was pulled under the vehicle. However, all of that sudden agony ended when the back of my head slammed against the pavement. Through reddening vision, I saw the thing drive away hastily and people who witnessed the grisly scene rushing to my aid. Why this thing was done to me, I do not know. I probably will never know, as my eyes closed for good…

Perhaps death would really be the "Heaven and Hell" idea so frequently talked about. Or maybe it would simply be a peaceful slumber for all of eternity… As I was raised in a western society where typical beliefs of "god or no god" prevailed, those were the only two I really contemplated about.

What happened to me in reality was something I _never _would have expected.

I could not really describe it fully. All I knew was that I seemed to simply exist in some sort of place beyond life; a plane of existence that was simply beyond mortal description. Somehow, I kept the basic senses of sight, sound, touch and smell. However, I lacked the mindset of flawed human emotions, such as sadness, anger, or terror… What I did have though, were two distinct feelings. One was the idea of existence; I knew I was _there_, but I somewhat lacked the means to show it physically and to an extent, mentally. The other was the idea of contentment. For some strange reason, I also felt this was a better place and I would have gladly chosen to stay. In the end, I was simply insubstantial and ethereal, perhaps better known as a soul, or a spirit, or a consciousness.

Now, I have no idea how long I existed in that state. The lack of senses meant that I had no track of time. It could have been minutes or it could have been years… Heck, it could have even been centuries or millennia for all I know!

Then, out of the blue, something happened to me…

I had absolutely no idea where it came from, but somehow, I suddenly felt an emotion that over-rode the earlier feelings of contentment. Maybe I heard a voice, or maybe it was just me. I suddenly realized that this was simply not my place, at least not just yet. And, as if by cue, everything suddenly vanished. No sight, no smell, no touch and no sound. Heck, I lost almost all of my thoughts and feelings. All I had was that infinitesimal sensation of existence.

However, everything changed once again…

For once, I began to feel something. It was somewhat reminiscent of the prickly feeling you get when your limbs fall asleep on you, but only in reverse. It slowly made its way up my arms and legs, eventually reaching my torso. To my surprise, what followed it was the sense of touch. _Whoa, man. I'm recovering, I'm alive! _To consolidate my feelings of elation, I noticed the sensation of my beating heart as it sped up in reaction to my changing emotions.

I was ecstatic! Perhaps I did survive the incident and was beginning to wake up from a coma. Perhaps, I thought, this would be another chance at life.

I could already imagine myself waking up on a hospital bed with an IV attached to my arm and an oxygen mask affixed to my face. I imagined seeing the relieved expressions of friends or family as they watched me come to. I mean, I was in a hospital, right? I felt comfortable enough to be in a bed, encircled in what felt like soft fur.

_Hold that thought…Okay… Wait, Wait… what the..?_

That's… odd. I don't recall hospital beds covered in fur, nor do I recall any sort of bed that would gently push down on my cheek.

However, that "thing that pushed down on my cheek" was suddenly replaced by something warm and wet that rasped over the same spot. That in itself alarmed me even further.

Now, by this time I was feeling a wee bit distressed. I also noticed that I began to hear again, if just barely. Had I been in a hospital, I would hear the steady beep of a heartbeat monitor and perhaps, muffled voices from concerned friends and family. There was a fair bit of the latter, but absolutely none of what I would expect from a typical medical facility.

Though I still could not make out the words, I was at least able to determine the speakers' direction and gender. Due to pitch and tone, most were apparently female and came from all around me. There were also some higher-pitched voices interspaced from within the cacophony, allowing me the assumption that they belonged to kids. I also noticed several male voices within the group. I immediately knew that they were neither compatriots nor kin, but something about them really nagged me…

Several of them sounded extremely familiar; I could have sworn that I heard them before. I just didn't really know who.

_Gosh, who are you guys?_

_Okay, this is wrong. This is very, very wrong_. By now, I certainly wanted out. I began to move myself, hoping to get some sort of mobility back into my limbs. That was when I noticed different things about me… physically.

I began to flex my legs and immediately noticed on how they were bent at an unusual angle; my knees weren't in the right place, and my feet seemed far longer than usual. Now, they weren't broken; I was still able to flex my legs, but it all felt very _wrong_. What came to my mind was a wild and crazy guess, but I couldn't help it. My legs felt as if they were shaped the way typical animals' legs did.

A part of my mind shot back at that absurd conclusion. _No, Dammit. That's a stupid thought. How is that even effin' logical? Let alone possible!_

…_But again, there's nothing logical about my situation!_

My mind reeled severely at that thought.

This unsettling revelation led me to feel the rest of my body. For a fact, I also noticed that I was covered in what felt like fur. I moved my hands (or dare I say, paws) to my face and sure enough, to my dismay, I found my mouth and nose to be farther forward than normal.

_Oh god… _I had a snout! This was seriously getting out of hand. I was not in a hospital; the voices I heard were not of my friends and family and heck, I did NOT feel like a human anymore.

Apparently, my squirming had caused a stir from my surroundings, as the voices I heard rose in volume and excitement. I was actually able to pick out random lines of conversation this time around…

"He's waking up! Thank Aeihu"

_Eh? Who the heck is this?_

"C'mon, little one. Open your eyes."

_Say what? I'm a 'little one'?_

"Good thing Rafiki came and checked up on him…"

_Woah-Woah…Wait, Rafiki? I swear, I KNOW this name. But… but… __Damn!_

Before I could think about this, the snout (It's most definitely a snout) that had bothered me earlier came back to nuzzle my cheek and lick it tenderly.

Except now, it moved over to my right ear, propped it up and spoke in an all-too-familiar voice…

"Wake up, honey. Please, wake up!"

At that very moment, my eyes shot open and for the first time and I finally took in my surroundings. I was in a cave of some sort; the the slowly dimming light coming from its mouth implying that it was evening, but the environment and the different time of day was NOT the thing that concerned me the most. All around me were what appeared to be a pride of lions… _Whoa, hold on. A pride of lions?_

_?_

The first thing that came into my mind was a nasty expletive and a clear and genuine wonder as to how I ended up here, of all places! I began to panic, my mind yelling out; _what? How the heck am I here? I swear that I was nowhere near some damned zoo when I lost my lif-…Oh…damn. _

Realization began to set , my thought process deflated once more as I began to examine the individuals around me.

Just like that, a figurative light-bulb switched on in my head. Now, they were not just "any" other sort of lion pride, but rather, a distinctive pride that I found all too familiar.

_What? This isn't just any pride, this is the effin' Lion King! How…What… I don't even…Aww no…_

I was too shell-shocked to actually say anything, so I just gawked at the collection of lions and lionesses assembled around me. I could already tell the difference between the so called "Pridelanders" and the former "outsiders". There were many faces I did not know, but a good number I _did_ recognize.

Okay. That lioness right there with distinctive ruby irises, vibrant golden fur and the overly affectionate expression was undoubtedly Kiara… And the chocolate colored lion with green eyes and a distinctive scar next to her was most definitely Kovu. That one lioness right next to them with cerulean irises, super-distinctive bangs and an oddly sympathetic facial expression was undoubtedly Vitani. There were several others I did recognize, but didn't really bother to fully analyze.

All in all, it felt a bit unsettling; they all regarded me with those same looks of compassion or affection.

_Uh-umm…Nuts!_

I tried to let out a yelp, but all that came out of my mouth was a pathetic mewl. I realized now that I was a cub; apparently not a newborn by any chance, but still small and _very_ helpless.

Before I could contemplate any further, a lick was administered to the spot between my ears. I turned my head around and came to stare at the most striking azure eyes I had ever seen. My mind clicked immediately I saw her… her blue-green eyes, her pale beige fur and exceptionally powerful build… There was no doubt on which this lioness was in my mind.

_She _was Nala… and I was wrapped up protectively in her forelegs.

She lowered her head to give me another tender lick and that was when I noticed a tear streaming down her cheek. Before I could even mewl in question, she unknowingly beat me to the punch.

Nala lowered her mouth to my ear and whispered soothingly, "You're safe with me, dear… I'll never let you out of my sight, ever again."

_Huh? That's…alarming. Who the heck am I? Hang on... Am I…uh…_

Another lion came into my field of vision and almost instantly, I recognized the large and powerful build, vibrant red mane and golden-furred body. Words could not entirely describe the shock I felt when I saw him; the main protagonist, the poster child for the entire saga and easily one of the most recognizable characters in Disney history.

Simba.

And right now, he wore an expression of shock.

"How? How can this be?" he uttered shakily to Nala, who quickly looked at him before turning her attention back to me.

_Oh man… this is unexpected. _The events that transpired all so recently were just way too much for my mind to handle. Despite the fact that I had just woken up, I felt as if I had not taken a snooze in days. Not caring anymore, I gently buried my head into her chest and closed my eyes.

As my consciousness slowly ebbed away, I couldn't help but think of one thing…

_What have I gotten myself into?_

* * *

"This…this… is impossible. How can this happen?" Simba's question was aimed at no one, as he stared with teary eyes at the ever-so-familiar cub curled up in Nala's forelegs. By this time, all the other lions had dispersed to other parts of the cave, intent on leaving the dazed couple to sort everything out in peace.

The discovery of the young cub in out in the Pridelands had torn open wounds that were thought to have healed. Needless to say, it had almost every member of the pride shaken up. The only exceptions to this were the few other males that had joined the pride following the "Great Reunion" and subsequently, the cubs birthed after that time period.

Nala looked up from the sleeping cub to her mate; complete understanding visible in her eyes. As both of them were the center of the entire incident, the sudden appearance of the cub had truly hit them hard.

"I don't know, Simba. But, I don't care. I made the mistake of leaving him vulnerable once and I'm not making it again. Thank the great circle of life for this second chance…" Nala sighed and lowered her head to give the slumbering cub a tender nuzzle.

Simba on the other hand, was still coming to grips with the situation. "This is all making my head hurt. I had lived with this thing gnawing at me for so long, only to literally face it once again for real… I feel like I don't know what to do anymore." He shook his head slowly in disbelief.

"Darling, you're over-thinking the entire thing. Please, just take this as a gift. Life is giving us another chance at this and I'm taking it with both paws. You should do it too." Nala said. Her opinion crushed all lingering uncertainty within her mate and he dropped down to give the cub a loving nuzzle.

For the King and Queen of the Pridelands, this truly was a day to remember. They spent the rest of the evening lovingly nurturing the child. Soon enough, the events that transpired the past few hours took their toll. As twilight fell across the Pridelands, the two quickly found themselves in a deep slumber.

On the other side of the den, Vitani, Kovu and Kiara stared at the small bundle of fur in Nala's forelegs, the three of them contemplating about the events that were to follow this astounding day.

Kiara was the first to speak up, "'Tani, please tell me. How did you find him?"

"It was just luck… After today's hunt, I just happened to be in the right place when I found the poor thing." The former outsider sighed. "I rarely wander around that spot in the Pridelands; had I not come any sooner, that kid would've been doomed to the buzzards."

"Wow. That is luck indeed. "Kovu murmured, "But why the emotional reaction to his presence? It's obvious the pride knows who he is."

Kiara sighed despondently, her ears drooping in sadness as she recalled the stories her mother told her. "Kopa… Mom and Daddy's first cub; the original reason as to why Zira and her followers were exiled in the first place."

She gestured to Simba and Nala, "…The cub over there, looks _exactly _like him."

* * *

P.S: If you're wondering, I personally don't believe in re-incarnation. However, I do know that it makes excellent story material.


	2. Curiosity and a Tragic Fate

_**Beyond Sense and Logic: A TLK Tale**_

_Disclaimer: No, I don't own these characters, except for the protagonist's consciousness (I don't even own his body!). So don't sue me._

Again, _Italics_ represent significant thoughts, words and scenes. It all depends on the context...

* * *

**Chapter 2: Curiosity and a Tragic Fate**

I woke up, pretty much expecting to be safe in my room, snug in bed, with comfortable night-clothes covering my body.

Perhaps, everything that just happened to me was some dream sequence that had felt so unbelievably real. I mean, from time to time, I did experience those nocturnal fantasies that seemed so damned realistic and tangible that I was at a complete loss when I woke up. Oh, how I despised those moments, simply because I had a seriously potent imagination.

_So_, I asked myself, _how_ _can this be any different?_

_You fool… Everything! _

For the second time in a few short hours, my eyes shot open in surprise. The darkness of my surroundings were unsettling, so it took me a while to get my bearings. I turned my head around to face the mouth of the den. It was rather dim outside, but further observation gave me the impression that it was early dawn.

_This is NOT a dream; I'm still here._

Two arms were wrapped around my small body, one protectively around my waist and the other a makeshift pillow for my head. I needed no reminder as to who these belonged to.

I still had barely come to terms with my predicament, so I still couldn't help but gape like a fish at Nala, who was sleeping calmly in spite of my fidgeting. Once again, I panned my head around to stare at everyone else.

As I gazed at my surroundings, I knew that it wasn't just her that made my mind spin wildly with bewilderment, but also Simba, Kiara, Kovu…This entire pride…

_No, this entire world… meant to exist behind a TV or a computer screen, or reside in the imaginations of countless fans…_

_All of it… real; impossibly real! _

…_Absolutely, totally mindboggling._

In all honesty, I had always loved the Lion King; the film (almost two decades old by now) being a favorite of mine through late childhood and adolescence. However, in my case, that "love" has deteriorated significantly due to what everyone knows of as "real life". You name it; work, play, and life in general did a whole lot to take my attention away from what I -for the longest time- considered a priority.

Now, by all means, the Lion King did not disappear from my life altogether. Rather, it came to me time and time again; a perennial infatuation.

_So… What's next for me?_

Thoughts and feelings swamped my head. I felt _happy_… No, "happy" wasn't a powerful enough word to describe it. More like, "deliriously ecstatic". It was that rare type of mirth you feel if _and_ when you get something you reallywant. In short, it was a "fan's" bliss multiplied tenfold.

Besides, it's not everyday that you find yourself living among the characters of your most favorite saga. _I mean, imagine how many fans would kill just to be in this situation!_

I had to move. I had to see my new environment and the individuals who just happened to live in it; just lying down here was anything but productive.

However, my body said otherwise.

I physically felt that I did not have to go around; it was just too comfortable to do so. The warmth my body was immersed in at that moment was absolutely exquisite and I certainly was in no mood to try and go somewhere… Not to mention the fact that I was cuddled up in the forelegs of one of the most legendary characters in Disney history.

_Dammit… did I have to move?_

In the end, reasoning and curiosity won out. Gently, I lifted Nala's paw off my body and laid it right beside me, all the while mentally pleading to her not to wake up.

I slowly took to my feet and moved forward. Almost immediately, a problem struck. I lost balance, tipped forward and broke into a small run. Lucky that I was facing parallel to, _and_ between Nala and Simba; any other way and I would have fallen onto either of them.

My forelegs shot ahead to compensate for the loss of stability. I barely stopped myself from careening straight into the slumbering form of Kiara.

_Holy moly… Good call on not being a slouch, you really need to work on trying to walk! Besides, the last thing you need is for them to think you have some sort of issue or disability!_

I slowly backed away from the sleeping lioness and turned myself towards the cave mouth, all the while pondering my next move. _Okay… How am I supposed to do this?_ Recalling scenes from random nature documentaries and of course, the Lion King itself, I slowly trudged forward, quietly whispering "left foreleg", "left hind-leg", "right foreleg", "right hind-leg" to sync my slow walk.

It was slow and I had a figurative minefield of arms, legs and tails to walk through, but it certainly worked.

_Gosh. Being four-legged sucks! How they manage to do this is absolutely beyond me…_

After a bit of careful treading (and the occasional misstep that sent my heartbeat racing), I finally got myself out of that conundrum. Rather proud that I somewhat gotten the hang of walking, I decided to give myself a treat by making my way onto the top of Pride Rock's promontory. The sight that greeted me up there was something I thought I would never witness outside the movie.

It stretched as far as the eye could see.

_Whoa…Holy mother of…_

The Pridelands, in its entire breathtaking splendor, looked just as vivid as they depicted it in the movies. In fact, the colors were even more vibrant than shown on screen, simply due to the fact that what I saw was the _real thing._

A cool breeze wafted across my face, bringing with it the smell of both rot and genesis; the scent of nature and of life. I watched on in amazement as the reddish hue of the sky slowly gave way to yellow, as the sun rose with the changing time of day. Even the barren outlands to my right (_that_ place the first movie somehow depicted as perpetually in shadow and overcast) shimmered in the beautiful hue. The scene laid out in front of me was just so iconic, that I could have sworn that I heard the opening lines of _The Circle of Life_ echo through my mind.

"This… is absolutely incredible!"

My thoughts grounded to an abrupt halt at that moment.

_Wait, I just spoke._ I tested my voice, reciting a few random words in varying pitches. The latter really got my attention. _Heh, so that's how I sound like… A child once again._

…And then it hit me. _Hey if that's how I sound, then how do I look like? _

…_I need a reflective surface… The waterhole!_

I turned quickly to go back down, the magnificent sight in front of me forgotten for the time being. In my excitement, I almost decided to rush down the outcrop, but luckily, my rational side still functioned.

_Slow down, man. If you haven't realized yet, there's a massive drop on either side and you still need to learn how to walk properly. It'd be painfully anti-climatic if you crack your head by falling off this thing, you know._

So, I did listen and stepped down carefully, thinking of what I'd do next. Maybe, I'll just wander around the vicinity, and then stop at a nearby waterhole to satiate the curiosity of seeing my reflection. Besides, I did spot several near this position when I was up there.

I was extra sure to steer clear of the den so as not to disturb anyone. The last thing I needed was the whole pride swarming over my sorry butt and scolding me on how I shouldn't have left the den without supervision.

Come to think about it, what I was about to do would get me in deep doo-doo if I was caught. Recalling the movies; If both Simba and Nala (and a generation later, Kiara) got themselves chewed out for going around unsupervised, then what difference would I get if I did it myself?

But hey, what did it matter anyway? I was not planning to go very far, and it was very unlikely that l would get lost. Besides, the cubs did this all the time. Early on in the second movie, Simba did willingly allow a young Kiara to roam the Pridelands without decent supervision. By _decent, _I meant a lioness to accompany (and defend) her. If I remember correctly, Timon and Pumbaa didn't exactly give Kiara any sort of reliable protection.

Again, that also did tell me another thing. If Simba did allow this, then the Pridelands must be relatively safe. Back during Kiara's early days, the Pridelanders still had to deal with the outsiders and yet, he allowed his daughter free roam of the lands.

So, if that's fine, then I should be too, considering there are apparently no longer any "antagonist" groups that pose a threat to this pride.

_Well then, what are you waiting for?_

I was about to walk off into the savanna, but my immediate thoughts and plans were abruptly shattered by a hard bonk to my cranium.

"AAagh!" I yelled out in surprise and pain, my paws shooting up to cover that now sore spot.

"HEY, WHAT GIVES?"

"…And WHERE are yous going, littl'un? Yu dun' just walk off de _Pride Rock_ without someone lookin' after yu."

_Holy…Crap… _

That heavily accented voice could be recognized anywhere, so I quickly spun around, only to find its source right in my face.

Whatever awe or respect I had for him abruptly vanished at that moment. I yelped once again, falling backwards and quickly placing some space between me and him. "Gah! What in the world… Rafiki, you almost gave me an effin' heart attack!"

The mandrill just stared at me, an amused expression gracing his features. "Littl'un, yous are still too young for things like _that_ to happen."

"Well...uh… It doesn't make things any better," I muttered, "I _know_ your antics; going around and trying to make people go into cardiac arrest… Someday, you'll kill someone through shock if you keep that up." I ended my quick rant with an annoyed huff.

Unfortunately, it only seemed to entertain him even further; Rafiki's chuckles in obvious amusement to my irritation as hard proof of it.

"Hah! Yous have a way wit' words, my young friend…" he reached over and patted my head, before turning around and walking away slowly. He beckoned me to follow him, "Come, come littl'un. Let us have a stroll; get to kno' each other better, eh? Besides, Yous did want to see how yu looked like, no?"

"Huh?"

I was rather unnerved by this, _Okaay… either his clairvoyance is faultless, or he's an honest-to-god mind reader. _

Rafiki interrupted my thoughts, "Com' on! We dun' have all day to sit around! I'm waitin' for yu!"

And so, I took off after him, as fast as my little legs could carry me.

* * *

Truthfully, I already had somewhat of an inkling of who I was. It wasn't hard, really. Considering the pride's reaction to my presence, and the obvious attachment both Simba and Nala had to me, I could only deduce that I was "Kopa" of the relatively unfamiliar _"Six new Adventures" _series of children's books…Well, at least a cub that apparently _looked_ like him.

This astonishing situation also did give me proof of another thing. The gap between the two movies had been subject to ongoing speculation for over a decade or so. Official Disney statements explained that the character _Kopa_ never existed and the books were labeled as "non-canon" or -as a stretch- "alternate universe". But, as always, this never deterred the collective imagination and creativity of the saga's legions of fans.

They _bridged_ the gap and gave a macabre, yet logical explanation to this puzzle. _Kopa_ was murdered; a revenge-attack initiated by Zira and her cronies as payback for Scar's death.

Overall, this certainly became an accepted explanation to the two movies' discontinuity with each other; it was simply logical. But again, it was _never_ "official", so, despite all of this, the issue remained open and unwritten.

These thoughts flitted through my mind, as I followed Rafiki across the brightening savanna to the waterhole.

In truth, I really didn't to see my reflection anymore, because I was so sure of myself already. This trek through the Pridelands was a bit of a waste, but what the heck anyway… It's nice to have a long walk to help me adapt to four legs and also, to give me time to think.

Speaking about contemplation, I allowed my mind to wander and think about the _Lion King's _continuity issues, but now, relative to my _current_ situation…

…_Considering that Simba and Nala both reacted to me in such a fashion, which could only mean one thing._

_Hah! Disney statements invalidated, Fan speculations verified! Kopa was real! _

_But heck, it's even more inconceivable in my situation._

_(1), I'm a Kopa doppelganger, re-introduced to a thunderstruck lion-pride who never expected such a thing to happen. (2), to make things even more complicated, I'm a former human and (3), I probably don't have the same personality as the original character. _

_It…it's like a triple whammy!_

I let out a large puff of breath, my situation still quite a mindful to contemplate. Needless to say, my fussing got the monkey's attention, and he turned around to acknowledge me.

"Yous are thinking too much, eh? Probably about somethin' very, very big."

I chuckled quietly. "Yah, _very very big_, is sort of an understatement in my case." I let out a sigh, "Y'know, Rafiki, everything that just happened is like a blur; so unexpected… It's… it's like…"

I let the index finger of my right paw circle around my ear several times, in the universal gesture for "_I'm crazy"._ Unfortunately, the mandrill did not get my drift and gave me a strange look.

…Seems like gestures were not a biggie here on the Serengeti.

"…Insanity. Never in my life would I have ever expected this to happen…I'm minding my business, just enjoyin' life and _BAM! _I get nailed by some retardedfool who can't follow…" Realizing where I was taking my rant, I decided to stop it, "…But, you know what, it doesn't matter anymore."

"_What_ doesn't matter anymore?" Rafiki quipped, curious.

"Nothing… Just forget about it, will ya?"

Good thing Rafiki didn't understand the implication of what "_nailed" _meant… The last thing I'd want is to divulge my human roots in front of any them, or else they'd _really_ think I'm insane.

Thankfully, he did not push the issue any further, but he did give me a clearly inquisitive look that told me something: he was gonna find out sooner or later.

I decided to take the conversation in another direction.

"Rafiki, hopefully you do know that I'm _not_ Kopa, right?"

"Yah, I know," he said, "and de whole pride knows too." The mandrill slowed down a bit; I clearly saw that he was pondering his next words.

That last part got me interested. What else could I know about the young cub with whom I shared similar looks with? I moved myself next to him, curiosity heightened, "And uh, if I may ask, uh… what _really _happened to him?" I cringed in expectation of what I was going to hear.

Rafiki sighed despondently; he was clearly hesitant to talk about this particular event.

"T'was about two years ago when it happened, when Zira attacked de young prince. I was 'dere when he died… 'tried to fix him up, but by that time, it was too late." Just like that, the mood dropped severely. I wasn't surprised; recalling this catastrophic event of the entire saga was certainly taxing on the old monkey. "My point is; both me and much of Simba's pride was 'dere to see it… We were all witnesses, when he breathed his last."

"Oh…uh…wow."

"I hope yu understand, my friend. De fact 'dat _yous_ are here is hitting really hard on them, 'specially Simba and Nala. Heck, it's still even hard for me!"

I had to agree with him. I mean, It's not everyday that you'd get a second chance at caring for a child you lost. I could only imagine what the pride was going through when they discovered me.

"So, Rafiki. What would you advise me to do? …Now that I'm actually here."

The mandrill slowly knelt down, and gently held my shoulders.

"What I want yu to do is very simple: Make them happy. Yu see, de incident wit' Kopa's death really left de poor King and Queen in sorrow. Regardless of 'dem raising Kiara to who she is today, de guilt still remains. To this day, it still remains a problem 'dat haunts de two of 'dem time and again." He stared at me with conviction in his eyes…

…And said in clear sincerity.

"…Not even I, nor de Great Kings above could have ever predicted your coming. But, I can only thank whoever, or whatever did it. This as an opportunity for redemption, my young friend. All I ask of yu, is to simply end _de guilt_. I want yu to stop de regret from coming back again. Yu see, little'un, This is another chance for both Simba and Nala, and I want you to give it to 'dem."

Those were some serious words he said there; it left me speechless and gave me one heck of an inkling of what was to come.

…I was in for a wild ride.

"By de way, little'un. If you're still curious about how yu look like, de waterhole is over there. go ahead."

"Ah… Thanks, Rafiki."

* * *

_-Flashback Sequence-_

_It was a nightmare come true: The enemy had struck the pride and hit them where it hurt the most._

_Wrapped up in Nala's forearms was the comatose and shattered form of the Prince._

_The King and Queen's only beloved son…_

_Kopa._

_Grief and sorrow emanated from the pride without end. Most of the lionesses had broken down into sobs; some of them moving to comfort the inconsolable royal family with gentle nuzzles and quiet words of comfort. Timon and Pumbaa sat on the far side of the den, sharing the grief. The meerkat was doing his best to calm down the sobbing warthog, though it looked like he too was on the verge of tears. Zazu, the faithful majordomo, stood strong next to the broken-hearted king, giving him a wing of assurance and soothing him as much as he possibly could._

_Rafiki was there, too. But he sat slumped against one of the den walls; eyes glazed over and face wearing an expression of defeat and resignation._

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

_Kopa was unconscious but still breathing steadily, indicating that he was still alive. However, that soon became erratic and labored. _

_The mandrill had done all that he could do; he tried to stop the bleeding, used all the possible herbs and remedies. He even prayed to the great kings above to give this poor child just one more chance at life._

_But it was all in vain._

_The cub was too gravely injured to live. Due to the number and severity of the slashes and bruises, he had lost too much blood. His young body was just too overwhelmed to cope with the loss, and was starting to shut down._

_It hurt Rafiki's heart so much just to do it, but he had no choice and told Simba and Nala the horrifying news:_

_Kopa would not live to see the next day._

_When the two heard that grim statement, the effect was instantaneous. Nala collapsed to the ground and let out a cry of agony, while Simba, being the willful one, leapt up and slammed him against the cave wall. He yelled out at the mandrill, his voice a mixture of fury, suffering and desperation._

"_NO! You must be lying; it can't be true! It can't be true…" His voice hitched, and trailed off, as tears ran rivers down his face. "It can't…"_

"_I am sorry, my king." _

_Simba let him go, a choked sob escaping from his throat. Without anything to hold him up, Rafiki slid down the wall, and simply sat there, too embroiled in his own misery to do anything else._

_o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o  
_

_So there they all stayed, grieving over the dying child. There was nothing the pride could do anymore, but to simply spend the last moments of his life together. _

_As if it were given by the gods themselves, Kopa came to. _"_Papa… Mama… where are you? I can't see… I can't see!" His eyes were wild and completely unfocused; no doubt that his body was getting weaker by the moment. __The king and queen reacted without delay, responding with nuzzles and licks._

"_I'm here, I'm here baby." Nala whimpered, while she gently pushed her muzzle against his, to make him feel her presence._

"_Great kings… Please… Don't worry, daddy's here. Daddy's here right next to you." Simba did the same._

_Despite Simba and Nala's collective warmth, Kopa still shivered; the blood loss he sustained made sure of that._

"_Mama… Papa, I'm so cold... I don't wanna die." Kopa mewled feebly. _"_I don't wanna die… don't wanna die… don't wanna die…" __The cub choked up and uttered out small squeaks of panic and fear, as he realized the fate that was to befall him._

_Those words made the couple cry even harder, as they hugged their son even more firmly. It was as if holding him tightly would keep his life from slipping away._

"_Kopa…Please… please." Nala begged, as she desperately nuzzled him. Simba, on the other hand, was too grief-stricken to speak coherently, opting only to give his child tender licks and kisses._

_It was the end of the line for the poor cub. His breathing slowed, as his vital signs started to fade away. As if he had come to agreement with his fate, Kopa ceased his whimpering and slowly, painfully composed himself. For the last time, his eyes re-focused on his mother and father as he gradually drew in a final shaky, labored breath._

_Kopa used it to force out his last words… _

"_I…l-lo-love…y-you."_

_The light his eyes dimmed away as his body went limp in his parents' arms._

_Nala was the first to lose it. With a final growl, she let out a deafening wail of anguish that reverberated through the den and out into the Pridelands. __Simba didn't last much longer either. With his claws scraping the ground in some hopeless attempt to stem the pain, he let loose his own tortured roar._

_The cries of the King and Queen were to be joined by the rest of the pride. And eventually, the whole of the Pridelands would share in their sorrow._

_Soon enough, vengeance would run its course, and the Pridelands would be divided once again._

_-End Flashback Sequence-_

"NOOOO!"

The King of the Pridelands shot up from his slumber, the ghastly re-collection of that moment of his life fading away into memory.

Simba was in a total mess; his mane disheveled and the fur on his muzzle flattened down and pasted to his skin by tears. His sudden outburst had woken up the rest of the pride; everyone stared at him, either in shock or concern. Everything was almost quiet, save for his heavy breathing as he tried to get his racing heart under control.

"Daddy, what happened? Are you okay?" Kiara queried worriedly. Kovu sat right next to her, an equally concerned expression on his face.

"Dad?"

The awkward silence was thick with tension, but all of that shattered when everyone heard a startled gasp from the queen.

"No… Oh Aeihu no! The cub. Where's the cub? WHERE IS HE?"

Nala stood up on all fours, her head panning around frantically. The cub that she knew was in her forearms the night before was gone.

Simba was thunderstruck, the ice-cold fear he experienced throughout his dream suddenly crept back through his veins.

Distress seized the King and Queen like an iron fist, as the two began searching urgently. The rest of the pride followed unquestioningly. Simba didn't even issue a "Find him" order to the pride like before; it was an implicit command that the pride's lions and lionesses obeyed without second thoughts.

The pride crowded out of the den and moved out into the savanna, searching anxiously for the cub in question.

"Where are you?"


End file.
